Pali

Compagnia Scimone Sframeli

Teatro delle Passioni, Modena

16/10/2009 ,  22:30  
17/10/2009 ,  17:30  

written by Spiro Scimone
direction Francesco Sframeli
with Francesco Sframeli, Spiro Scimone, Salvatore Arena, Gianluca Cesale
scenes and costumes Lino Fiorito
light design Beatrice Ficalbi
produced by Scimone Sframeli company togheter with Asti Teatro 31

Running time 1h

A big hit with the Festival’s public, Messina-born actors Spiro Scimone and Francesco Sframeli return to VIE. The occasion is a new dramaturgy, a new direction of the strange linguistic and stage adventures of the two players.
Pali (Pillars) is the latest play by Spiro Scimone. It is directed by his faithful fellow thespian Francesco Sframeli and, like other works by the Sicilian playwright, is imbued with a mood that smacks of Beckett, in yet another wonderful example of the absurd in which it is Scimone’s language that conjures the idea of a place. Four characters appear on stage: La Bruciata, Senzamani, Il Nero and the other, four figures who live on the fringes of a society whose self-centredness, intolerance and indifference they flee, seeking refuge atop the pillars of the title.
It is from these pillars of refuge that they make known their dejection and unhappiness and speak of their dreams, as normal, humble Pillar-Saints, without either salvation or prophecy.
Onstage with Scimone and Sframeli are Salvatore Arena and Gianluca Cesale, making for the fine all-male cast that always features in their works.

(…) a new work by Spiro Scimone, one of today’s most interesting and acclaimed playwrights, who has achieved major recognition across Europe. (…) Scimone the playwright returns with this new work - Pali – to the stage with his trusted fellow thespian Francesco Sframeli. (…) The two playwrights (…) are perched on two laterally-positioned pillars. Scimone, a helpless Handless Person, (…) Sframeli, in the fiery red shirt and shoes of La Bruciata (…) A Man and a Woman perched on the pillar of Calvary, echoing the thieves in the New Testament. (…) Scimone comments and denounces what he sees and to do this he also uses a controlled ironic language in his run-up to clichés. However, he has no faith that there will be any improvement (…) Hence, for the time being, there remains no other option but to keep one’s distance and take precautionary measures by seeking refuge atop uncomfortable spired pillars.
G. Capitta il manifesto 28 June 2009

Every two years Spiro Scimone and Francesco Sframeli perform a miracle in creating and staging a new work with the aim of denouncing the evil that surrounds us. In Pali (…) they play and introduce us to two characters (…) who seek refuge atop two pillars (…) to escape the mire that fills a country we all know. From the summit of Lino Fiorito’s colourful stage setting this story engages the mire-trapped audience in laughter.
F.Quadri, Repubblica 29 June 2009

(…) midway between circus and metaphysical moral tale, (…) Scimone tells a story by delving into his flabbergasted and somewhat damaged world, giving us a superbly acted, colourful and melancholic play. (…)
O. Guerrieri, La Stampa 4 July 2009

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